The Commerce Lady Tigers are off to a slow start as the team starts its second week of the season 0-2.

Not only did the ladies lose 40-30 to Johnson on Dec. 1, but more importantly, they lost Jaz Grier, their top offensive player.

Grier suffered a knee injury 17 seconds into the game and was unable to return to the court. She’ll be out into January.

“We were hoping that we would get a little further along before we had an injury,” said coach Eddie McCurley.

Last year, the Lady Tigers were plagued with injures throughout the year as Grier and several other of this year’s key starters suffered knee injuries.

McCurley said it is unlikely that Grier will be able to play until January. He said the team has tried to prevent those injuries this year by spending more time in the weight room working on strength and conditioning.

Commerce opened the region schedule at home on Saturday, hosting Tallulah Falls, and the Lady Tigers fell to the Lady Indians, 52-24.

This week, McCurley and the Lady Tigers are spending time focusing on the “small things” in practice.

With four seniors starters, McCurley expects better performances than what the first two games showed.

“If you don’t shoot the ball well, you better rebound well,” he said. “We are going to continue to focus on rebounding and trying to take care of the ball.”

It won’t be easy.

The Lady Tigers face a talented Banks County squad on Friday at 7:00 in Homer, and McCurley said Commerce will have to bring its a-game just to be competitive.

On Saturday, Commerce hosts its second region opponent. Hebron Christian is 3-0.

McCurley said he’s taking the games one at a time and trying to keep the girls focused on the game right in front of them rather than looking down the road.

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